, 1887-08-28
AwYoMINc MAN ABROAD.
He Tells the story of a Big Poker
Game.

OAAS Ne9 DelS a ~ III NH' ShANh6O
Times, the conversation turned on tricks
at cards, and one of the party asserted
that Canada Bill, was the originator of
that peculiar industry. A lantern jawed
nan from Wyoming, who had been an
attentive listener, remarked:
Gentlemen, you are wrong. | saw a
sucker play 1t to my sorrow before Can
ada Bill ever thought of it.
In response to urgent requests the resi-
dent of the sage brush district in the
West went on with his story:
The last year of the war, l being a
boy OF IS, cut loose and drifted to the
her newly discovered gold mines Of
Montana. On the way | became sepa
rated from the outfit | was travelling with
and dritted along from one frontier ranch
or trading station to another, until | fin.
ally made a halt at the Big Laramie river
on the old stage road, at a ranch kept by
AL Smith. Smiths ranch consisted OF a
log building 2Ox40 feet, all in one room,
IN which he ran a general store and sa
loon. AS there was no water for fifteen
miles either way his ranch was a camping
ground for all trains bound east or west.
The Indians were bad in those days and
every ranchman kept as large a force
about him as possible, and ~stragglers ike
myself were received with open hospital
~ and urged to prolOng their stay. | re-
NAMED at Smiths ranch several months
a Welcome guest. Swapping horses, hunt
ing antelope, drinking whisky, playing
poker, and trading in government mules,
which in those days was considered as
legitimate as selling whisky, or any other
respectable and honorable industry, [
made plenty of money, and had occa
sional Indian skirmishes and lots of ex-
element. There were several of us young
fellows there. and every evening we would
indulge in poker by ourselves when we
could not get a stranger in, but when we
could we took him In, and we got them
almost every night, and as money was
abundant we were all well fixed. One
evening late in the fall of 1865 a cadaver-
GUS. lank, homely looking specimen of
humanity rode up to the ranch on a poor,
scrawny mare pony, followed by a half
starved colt. He was dressed in ragged
remnants of a t~hreadbare broadcloth suit,
II number of rents in his trousers showing
a tattered pair of gray ones underneath.
An old pair of congress CATERS adorned
his extra large feet, and an a~ntiquated stiff
hat scarcely protected him from the sun.
His hair was long, his face unshayen. From
his shoulder, hung by a piece of rope, an
old -four sack stuffed full of old clothes,
while under his right arm he carried a
bundle wrapped in an old striped hickory
shirt. He awkwardly crawled off his
Rozlnante, and in a drawing, suffering
voice inquired if he could git to stay all
night He was informed he could spread
his blanket on the floor and eat with us,
such as we had, but that the nearest hetel
was 300 miles down the road. His slut
tering speech and gauky manner caused
us youngsters unlimited amusement, and
we guyed him most numerically, all of
which he took in good part.
Before night a number of trains went
into camp, and by dark the log cabin was
lively. FreIghters and teamsters were
buying goods, drinking whisky and play
ing cards for canned frult-the n great
luxury of the Western pilgrims. At an
early hour, long before anyone else had
thought of sleep, Rusty as we called
him, spread his blankets on the floor, and
with his old artillery saddle for a pillow
turned In n tried to sleep. Four OF us
youngsters drew around a table and pro-
posed to start a poker game, if We could
get some one to come in and make it five
handed. Rusty Jumped up and said as
It was impossible for him to sleep he
would play a. little while for fun. We
kindly Informed him that we did not play
Tor fun, but a quarter ante, lust make it
interesting. He demurred at first, but
finally agreed to play IS worth. We did
not want him to play on account of his
poverty, but when he produced a fat
leather pocketbook stuffed with green
backs, our scruples diminished and the
game began. | never saw as awkward a
man with cards in my life, but | am free
to confess that | never saw a man have
such luck as he did. The iushes, threes,
full hands and straights hat man held
were remarkable. By | o'clock | had
lost $3.50 and was broke. BY 2 o'clock
Frank Jones had lost over $500, and had
to quit for lack Of funds. Frank VIII.
liams lasted until 4 o'clock, when he got
Knocked out, and the game progressed
single handed between Joe Lowery, a
superintendent of the overland stage
company and our simple friend, who BY
tins time was over $1,000 winner. Joe
was considerably out. but had about 5000
left. Old Rusty kept up a running fire
of silly remarks, but we none of us had
any superiluous hilarity left. As we all
by this time commenced to smell a very
lage sized rodent, we were watching Rus
ty' with all our eight eyes. The ante had
been raised 20 81, with 81. so blind. 1t
was Rusty's deal, and Joe Lowery went
81. so blind. After the deal Rusty saw
the blind and Joe made it good and
raised him $50 Rusty saw the raise
and raised Joe back $3.50, which Joe
called, it taking all the money he had left
to call. Joe had three queens and drew
two cards, Rusty drew three, but | saw
him take one from the bsttom of the
pack, and called Joe's attention to it.
Joe grabbed the stakes, when Rusty
whipped out a As calibre revolver and
cooking it ordered Joe to drop that
money Frank Jones drew a revolver
and fired at Rusty, missing him, when
Rusty fired in return, killing Jones in.
stantly. Joe and | both reached for our
revolvers, but a shot from 'Rusty's' revol.
yer hit Joe in the heart and he tell; but
as he keeled over his gun went off, hitting
Frank Williams in the back of the head,